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Comment period on Wabasha-area dredging plan extended again

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, is extending the public comment period for its draft environmental assessment for its Lower Pool 4 dredged material management plan until July 14.

The Corps decided to extend the public comment period after listening to community concerns. The new deadline allows more time for the public to understand the document and provide alternative suggestions, the Corps said in a statement this week.

The draft plan outlines Corps' requirement to remove and permanently place more than 10 million cubic yards of dredged material from the Mississippi River's Lower Pool 4 — near Wabasha — during the next 40 years. The plan, once finalized, will serve as the framework for maintaining the 9-foot navigation channel.

The plan was released May 11 with a public comment period until June 9. The comment period was then extended until June 23. With the new extension, the comment period will remain open through July 14.